COVID-19 has resulted in a huge increase in demand for guide dogs for the blind.
The CNIB says demand for guide dogs has increased a staggering 300 per cent, meaning wait times for the service animals will also increase.
Kelly Picco, the program lead of community and volunteer engagement with the CNIB Newfoundland and Labrador, says the pandemic is a direct cause of increased demand.
People have been home and coming to the realisation that a dog would help them get out and about.
Guide dog training is intense, and not all dogs are suitable for the job, meaning that some people seeking a guide dog have a long wait before them.
As soon as a puppy is able to leave its mother, it undergoes two years of training. It starts with basic training for one year, followed by more advanced training.